Contents About the novel page 2 • The author • The plot • The film The play page 3 • The characters • The cast and the costumes • The prompts The script page 5 • Act I The Montagues and the Capulets • Act II Star-Crossed Lovers • Act III Mercutio and Tybalt • Act IV Fortune’s Fool • Act V With a Kiss, I Die Activities page 14 1 Puoi scaricare dal sito www.elilaspigaedizioni.it tutti gli audio in formato MP3. Romeo and Juliet About the novel The author Name William Shakespeare Born 1564, Stratford-upon-Avon Family His father, John, made and sold gloves 1. He was an important person in Stratford. His mother’s name was Mary. John and Mary had eight children, but three of them died when they were young. Curiosity Facts At the age of 18, Shakespeare married Anne Hathaway. She was 26. They had a daughter, Susanna, and twins, a boy, Hamnet and a girl, Judith. Hamnet died when he was eleven. By 1595, Shakespeare was famous in London as an actor for an important theatre group which built the Globe Theatre. He was also becoming a successful playwright. During his life he wrote 38 plays and many poems. He is often called England’s national poet. He died in 1616 at the age of 52 and was buried in Holy Trinity Church in Stratford-upon-Avon. The plot The play is a tragedy about the ‘star-crossed’ 2 young lovers, Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. The themes running through the play include love and passion, hatred 3 and fate. Romeo and Juliet are young teenagers who fall deeply in love, but their families are bitter enemies. Regardless of the feud 4 between their families, they get married in secret. The story ends in tragedy when Romeo, Juliet, Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin), Mercutio (Romeo’s friend) and Paris (who wishes to marry Juliet) all die. The two families are reconciled by their children’s deaths and finally agree to end the feuding. The film There are numerous screen versions of Romeo and Juliet; George Cukor’s Oscar nominated 1936 version, Franco Zeffirelli’s 1968 version and the modern 1996 version by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. 1 guanti 3 odio 2 nati sotto una cattiva stella 4 faida / ostilità 2 Romeo and Juliet The play The characters 1 Match the names to the characters. 1 M Servants of the Capulets 2 Tybalt (Juliet’s cousin) 3 Juliet 4 Lady Capulet 5 Benvolio (Romeo’s cousin) 6 Lord Capulet 7 Lord Montague 8 The nurse (Juliet’s nanny) 9 Friar Laurence (Romeo’s teacher and friend) 10 Prince Escalus (ruler of Verona) 11 Narrator 12 Count Paris (Lord Capulet’s friend) 13 Romeo 14 Mercutio (Romeo’s friend) 15 Servants of the Montagues A C B D E F H J G I K L M N O 3 Romeo and Juliet The cast and the costumes 2 Write your name near the character you play, then add the names of your classmates. Read carefully what you need for your costume. Narrator (name of student) ________________________: a white shirt, a tunic top, tights or a pair of breeches. Juliet (name of student) ________________________: a pretty Renaissance style dress and hat. Romeo (name of student) ________________________: a pair of tights or breeches, a white ruffled shirt and a tunic top. Lord Capulet (name of student) ________________________: a shirt, a cloak and a hat. Lord Montague (name of student) ________________________: a shirt, a cloak and a hat. Lady Capulet (name of student) ________________________: a long dress with wide sleeves and a hat. Tybalt (name of student) ________________________: a ruffled shirt, tunic top and a hat. Benvolio (name of student) ________________________: a ruffled shirt, tunic top and a hat. Mercutio (name of student) ________________________: a tunic top with wide sleeves and a hat. The Nurse (name of student) ________________________: a long black dress, a white cloth (a wimple) to wear on the head. Prince Escalus (name of student) ________________________: a cloak with wide sleeves, a hat and a necklace. Friar Laurence (name of student) ________________________: a brown, hooded cloak and a necklace with a cross. Count Paris (name of student) ________________________: a tunic top with wide sleeves and a ruffled collar, tights and a hat. Servants of (names of students) ________________________: tunic tops, hats, tights or breeches and the Capulets ________________________ sashes in the colour of the Capulet family. Servants of (names of students) ________________________: tunic tops, hats, tights or breeches and the Montagues ________________________ sashes in the colour of the Montague family. The prompts 3 Remember to bring these objects on stage! To help you remember their names, match the words to the pictures. a mask a bottle of poison a ring a guest list a bottle of potion a toy sword 1 ___________________ 2 ___________________ 3 ___________________ 4 ___________________ 5 ___________________ 6 ___________________ 4 Romeo and Juliet J Romeo1 and uliet Act I – The Montagues and the Capulets Narrator In the beautiful city of Verona, there are two families – the Montagues and the Capulets. They are two of the richest families in the city, but they hate each other. They have hated each other for hundreds of years. One hot day, some servants from the Capulet and Montague families begin to fight in the streets. Servants of the Montagues The Montagues are the best! Servants of the Capulets No way! The Capulets are better! Narrator The people of Verona were afraid. Then Benvolio and Tybalt arrive. Benvolio Stop fighting, you fools!1 It is stupid to fight. Tybalt, help me to keep the peace.2 Tybalt No way. I’m a Capulet and you’re an evil Montague. There can be no peace between us. Narrator Tybalt pulls out his sword and the two men start fighting. Lord Capulet and Lord Montague arrive and soon everyone is fighting and it is very dangerous. Suddenly, Prince Escalus, the ruler3 of Verona arrives. Prince Escalus (angrily and shouting) STOP THIS FIGHTING! The people of Verona are afraid and unhappy. I want peace in the city. Lord Capulet, Lord Montague, your families must stop fighting. 1 sciocchi 2 mantenere la pace 3 governatore 5 Romeo and Juliet Narrator Everyone leaves the square except the Montagues. Lord Montague What happened, Benvolio? How did the fight start? Benvolio It was the servants at first. I tried to stop them and when Tybalt arrived I asked him to help but he wanted to fight too. Lord Montague But where is my son, Romeo? Is he OK? Benvolio He wasn’t at the fight. I saw him walking this morning. He wanted to be alone. He’s sad, but I don’t know why. Lord Montague Yes, something is wrong. But he doesn’t want to tell me. Benvolio I can talk to him, if you want. Lord Montague Yes, that’s a good idea. Perhaps he will tell you why he is sad. Narrator Romeo arrives. Lord Montague leaves the square so that Benvolio and Romeo can talk alone. Benvolio Hello Romeo. Romeo Good morning cousin. Benvolio Why are you so sad? Romeo I am in love with Rosaline. She is beautiful and intelligent but she doesn’t love me. Benvolio But Romeo, just forget her. There are surely many other pretty girls in Verona. Romeo No, I’ll never love anyone else. I cannot forget her. Narrator Meanwhile Lord and Lady Capulet decide to have a party. They invite Count Paris, a young prince. Lord and Lady Capulet want Paris to marry their daughter, Juliet. They invite lots of other important people from Verona, but not the Montagues. Lord Capulet calls his servant and asks him to deliver the invitations. Lord Capulet Servant! Here is a list of all the people. Go and invite them to the party at my house tonight. Servant of the Capulets Yes, my Lord. Narrator The servant leaves the house but is very worried. He can’t read and doesn’t know who is invited to the party. At that moment he sees Benvolio and Romeo. He doesn’t know that they are Montagues. Servant of the Capulets Please help me. I can’t read the names on this list. Benvolio Of course. Let me see. Narrator Benvolio reads the names out loud. The servant is happy and thanks Romeo and Benvolio. He runs off to find all the people on the list. Romeo Did you see? Rosaline’s name was on the list. I wish I could go to the party. Benvolio Yes, perhaps you could meet some other girls there and forget about Rosaline. Why don’t we go to the party? Romeo But how? They’re Capulets and we’re Montagues. Benvolio We can wear masks. No one will know who we are. Romeo Yes, that’s a good idea. 6 Romeo and Juliet 2 Act II – Star-Crossed Lovers Narrator Juliet, Lord Capulet’s beautiful young daughter, is getting ready for the party. Her nurse is helping her. The Nurse Oh Juliet, you look beautiful. Lady Capulet Count Paris will be at the party. He wants to marry you. Juliet I’ve never thought about getting married. The Nurse My dear Juliet, Count Paris is a fine man.1 Narrator The guests arrive at the party. Romeo goes to the party with Benvolio and his friend, Mercutio. Mercutio is funny and intelligent. They are all wearing masks. It is very dangerous for the Montagues to go to Lord Capulet’s house. Servant of the Capulets Welcome, gentlemen. Dance, drink and eat. Enjoy the feast! Narrator They enter the house and everyone is having fun.